


Time After Time

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 90'S, Best Friends, Carnival, Community: hp_drizzle, England (Country), F/F, Fairs, Falling In Love, Ferris Wheels, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, HP Drizzle Fest 2020, Ice Cream, Lesbian Ginny Weasley, Lesbian Luna Lovegood, Lesbian Relationship, Lust, Memories, Nicknames, Pet Names, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Road Trips, Sharing a Bed, Summer, Summer Love, Summer Vacation, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Travel, discussion of trauma, hand holding, muggle music, piers - Freeform, some mentions of PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25323403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A few weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts, Luna buys an ice cream truck.
Relationships: Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, past Ginny Weasley/Harry Potter - Relationship
Comments: 19
Kudos: 44
Collections: Anonymous, HP Drizzle Fest 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Evening12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evening12/gifts).



> First of all, thank you so much to the mods at HP Drizzle for making this such a fun and unique fest! I had an absolute joy with it, and I'm so excited for what next year brings.
> 
> Thank you to the prompter, Evening12, for coming up with such an incredible story. As soon as I saw prompt #27, I knew I needed it to be mine.
> 
> To my betas, A and M, thank you so much for combing through my messy first draft. I'm so glad I could make you both smile with some wlw content!
> 
> And to my love, R. Thank you for continuously supporting me the way that you do. Just like Ginny and Luna, I swear we've met in every life.

“So, what do you think?”

Ginny stared at the white, boxy truck in front of her, rust crawling up its sides. Every time a warm gust of summer wind blew, the large sculpture of an ice cream spun on top of the truck. A powdery pink and white striped overhang hung above the window.

“Is this what I think it is?” Ginny asked, sticking her hands on her narrow hips as she cocked her head to one side, eyeing the vehicle.

Luna beamed. “If you’re thinking that it’s an ice cream truck, then you’re spot on.”

Ginny felt the corners of her lips tugging upwards as she looked at Luna. “So, you bought an ice cream truck?”

Luna shrugged. “I figured the world could use a little sweetness right now. Moon frogs too, if we’re lucky.”

Ginny nodded in agreement. The Battle of Hogwarts had only drawn to a bloody close half a month prior and the wizarding world was, as expected, still recuperating from the sheer amount of loss and damage that had been inflicted. Hell, Ginny’s own life had never felt more unfamiliar, the aching absence of Fred throbbing throughout The Burrow.

“Are you actually planning on selling ice cream?” Ginny asked.

“Yep. I was actually wondering if you’d help me,” Luna said, looking hopefully at her.

Ginny’s chest grew warm and she felt dizzy as she briefly imagined the prospect of spending the drawn-out days of summer next to Luna. “I’d love that.”

They stood in silence, letting the heavy breeze roll off their shoulders. Luna had parked the truck at the edge of a field nearby and The Burrow stood against the cloudless sky in the distance. The setting sun bore down on them, heating the earth from the inside out. Beads of sweat collected in a thin line on Ginny’s upper lip and she wiped it with the back of her hand, which was splattered with dark freckles.

She felt an odd tugging in the pit of her stomach, a wanderlust of sorts. This wasn’t a new feeling. It had made home in her heart the moment the war ended, the thrum of escapism coursing throughout her body.

“Do you ever just want to get out of here?” Ginny suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence. “I mean, nothing sounds better to me than taking the ice cream truck and going on a road trip with you right now.”

“That sounds lovely. Why don’t we?” Luna asked.

Ginny arched an eyebrow. “Wait, really? You’re being serious?”

Luna let out a soft laugh. “Of course I am. If you want to go on a road trip, then we should go on one.”

“Aright,” Ginny said hesitantly, a lopsided smile plastered to her face. “When do you want to leave?”

“How about tonight?” Luna suggested.

“Okay.”

They stood for a while more, admiring the truck as it stood out against the tall, golden grass of the field. The evening was showered in the amber light of the sunset. She looked over to Luna, who was beaming at her new purchase. Her long hair, which was the color of wheat at the end of summer, curled around her elbows, blowing in the breeze. As she watched Luna, she felt a swell of something akin to fondness settle into her chest and she couldn’t help but smile. Luna had been her one saving grace through it all ㅡ the war, the loss of Fred, her break up with Harry. No matter how unbearable things had turned, Luna had been there.

Despite Luna’s constant reliability, she had changed since the war. She was quieter, more reserved, and Ginny found that it took more for her to smile, let alone laugh. Sometimes, she caught her staring off in the distance, her vacant eyes roaming a different reality. And although she worried about her, Ginny didn’t pry, deciding it was best to let Luna come to her.

“Ginny! Luna! Time for dinner!” Molly called from across the field, her hands perched on her sturdy hips. She had her wild red hair pulled back in a handkerchief and her apron was splattered in stains.

“Coming, Mum!” Ginny yelled back.

Molly nodded before disappearing back inside the house.

Luna blinked at Ginny. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

They walked towards The Burrow, and Luna ran her hands along the golden stocks of grass, letting her fingers tangle in the strands.

“Want to pack after dinner?” Ginny asked, taking Luna’s spare hand in her own.

“That sounds perfect. We can pack your things first and then head to my house before we leave,” Luna suggested.

“Brilliant.”

By the time they reached the front steps of The Burrow, fat drops of sweat were streaking down both of their foreheads. As Luna pushed the door open, the smell of chicken, asparagus, and fresh dinner rolls hit them. Ginny inhaled deeply, her stomach growling in excitement.

They were greeted in the kitchen by George, who was setting the table, and Ron, who was helping Molly quickly _Scourgify_ the counters. Bill, Charlie, and Percy had all visited for a week after the war, and their absence was heavily felt, especially considering that Fred was no longer there. Ginny was used to it bursting to the seams with people, but now it simply felt empty.

“Arthur! Dinner!” Molly hollered.

Ginny could hear her father’s heavy footsteps proceeding down the rickety staircase.

“Excellent,” Arthur said, his eyes widening as they landed on Luna. “Ah, Luna. So glad you’re here.”

“Thanks, Mr. Weasley.”

The six of them sat down at the worn table, helping themselves to the platters of food. George was unusually quiet, something that was becoming far too common with him. A heavy and awkward silence fell over the table.

“So,” Arthur cleared his throat, “girls, are you excited for your 7th year of Hogwarts? It’ll be here before you know it.”

Ginny frowned. “Sort of.”

“And what about you, Luna?” Molly asked.

Luna shrugged. “I’m not sure, to be entirely honest.”

“Well, I think that’s perfectly understandable and you’ve still got an entire summer before you have to go back,” Molly reassured her.

“Speaking of summer,” Ginny said, swallowing a bite of asparagus. “Luna and I were wondering if it would be okay for us to go on a little road trip.”

“Ginny, we’ve talked about this. I know your father replaced the Ford Anglia, but that doesn’t mean you can fly ㅡ ”

“No, Mum, that’s not what I mean,” Ginny interrupted. “Luna bought an ice cream truck. We were thinking of taking it around for a while.”

“Well, how long would you be gone?” Molly asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“I don’t know. A few months, maybe?”

“ _A few months_? Ginevra ㅡ ”

“Please, Mum? I need to get out of here,” Ginny whispered quietly, looking down at her plate.

Molly sighed. “Arthur, what do you think?”

Arthur leaned back in his chair, his hands resting on his stomach. “I think it’s a great idea and frankly, I think you two could use a holiday of sorts.”

“Alright. You’ll have to pay for it, though. I’m not pitching in a single knut,” Molly relented, going back to her food.

“Thank you, Mum!” Ginny said, a grin spreading across her freckled face.

“Where are you guys planning on going?” Ron asked through a mouthful of chicken, causing Ginny to grimace.

“I don’t know. To the coast, I suppose. Luna?”

Luna wiped her mouth on her napkin before saying, “I was thinking the same thing.”

“Brilliant,” Ron nodded, taking a large gulp of lemonade.

Suddenly, George spoke. “When are you leaving?”

Ginny swallowed thickly. “Tonight.

” “Oh,” Geroge said, his face falling.

Ginny squirmed in her seat, guilt bubbling up inside her chest. She knew Geroge was mourning and abandoning him for the summer certainly wouldn’t be helpful. The more she thought about it, the more ill she felt. The loss of Fred was still fresh, and she didn’t want to reopen a wound that hadn’t even begun to heal. However, she also felt a sense of responsibility for her own well being that she’d never experienced before.

With a sad glance in George’s direction, Ginny accepted the fact that she needed to prioritize herself for once.

The rest of dinner went by quickly, coming to a close as the sky faded from a blush pink to a pastel lilac. As soon as the dishes had been cleared, Ginny and Luna raced up to her bedroom.

Luna sat on her lumpy mattress while Ginny began to comb through her limited selection of clothing, picking out several tank tops and t-shirts, as well as shorts, jeans, overalls, a swimsuit, underwear, sports bras, and pads, stuffing them into a large quilted bag that her mother had made years ago. As she packed her things, Ginny found herself thankful that Hermione had taught her how to expand her bag.

“Alright. I think I just need to pack toiletries.”

“Need any help?” Luna asked, swinging her legs back and forth against the frame of the bed.

“Could you gather up any spare hairbands you see around the room while I grab stuff from the bathroom?” Ginny asked.

Luna nodded, and she sent a smile of gratitude towards her before padding down the hallway to the bathroom that she and her family shared. There, she shoved her toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, sun cream, perfume, chapstick, deodorant, and a hairbrush into a ratty makeup bag that she had received when she was seven-years-old, the inside stained with cheap eyeshadow that she had experimented with when she was younger.

“I think I’m ready,” Ginny said, standing up.

“Alright. Back to my place, then!”

After saying their goodbyes to Ginny’s family, they arrived at the Lovegood cottage a few minutes later via ice cream truck, both of their houses resting on the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole. A silver crescent of moonlight hung low in the inky sky, stars winking around it. Honey colored light flooded out from the front windows of the cottage and Ginny could make out the silhouette of Xenophilius puttering about in the kitchen.

Luna opened the door, holding it open for Ginny. Xenophilius came sweeping into the small foyer, a bright smile spreading across his face as he swept his white hair out of his eyes.

“Ginny! What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Xenophilius asked.

“Nice to see you, Mr. Lovegood. Luna, do you want to tell him?” Ginny asked.

“We’re going on a road trip for the summer in the ice cream truck I bought. Is that okay?” Luna asked.

Xenophilius pulled her in for a hug, ruffling the roots of her hair. “Of course, my little bird. You don’t have your supply of ice cream yet, do you?”

Luna and Ginny both shook their heads.

“Right. Well, I happen to be very good friends with the Fortescue family. I know that Florean’s daughter, Emily, would be happy to supply you with their ice cream. I imagine it would be rather good for their business too, since, well … since Florean passed,” Xenophilius said.

“Oh, that would be fantastic,” Luna said, beaming.

“Perfect. When are you two leaving?”

“Tonight,” Ginny answered.

“Alright. I’ll go ahead and send an owl to Emily to let her know that she can expect you at the ice cream parlor sometime tomorrow. Does that sound alright?” Xenophilius asked.

“Yes, that sounds lovely,” Luna said, pulling back from the hug.

“Ginny, you’ll keep an eye on her for me?” Xenophilius asked, his eyes pleading.

“Of course, Mr. Lovegood. We’ll be very careful.”

Xenophilius sighed. “Good. And if you sense any sort of trouble, please come straight home.”

“Dad, it’s okay. We’ll be safe,” Luna said, gently patting his arm.

“Alright, alright.”

Luna began to tug Ginny down the hallway that led to her room, silver moonlight floating into the unlit room through her open window. Luna flicked on the floor lamp before opening the doors to her wardrobe.

Thirty minutes later, Luna had neatly packed shorts, sun dresses, t-shirts, a swimsuit, tampons, a map, her spectrespecs, as well as a plethora of other things in her school trunk. They loaded Luna’s belongings in the back of the truck before returning to the house for a goodbye.

Xenophilius embraced both Luna and Ginny, making sure to reiterate his point of being careful. They both agreed and then they departed.

The ice cream truck chugged along the dirt road that led away from the Lovegood’s cottage, bringing them onto one of the main country roads nearby. Ginny cranked down the window, letting the warm, soft summer air roll across her skin.

“Where do you want to stop off for the night?” Ginny asked, laying her head on the car door. Her marmalade hair whipped across her face from the breeze coming through the window.

“Well, how does Burton Bradstock sound? It’s not too far from here, only about an hour and fifteen minutes, and it’s in the direction of London."

“Sounds good to me.”

As they sped along, Luna tuned the radio, landing on a station that was playing Muggle music by a man named Elton John. Luna bopped her head along to a song called “Rocketman,” and Ginny smiled as she watched her. There wasn’t much conversation between them but the silence was comfortable and familiar, both of them caught up in their own thoughts. The only time they spoke was when Ginny read out directions, making sure they were religiously following the map.

They pulled into a run-down seaside motel by ten o’clock and the world around them was dark. Off in the distance, Ginny could hear the gentle lull of waves crashing against the sand. The air smelled salty and fresh and she sucked it into her lungs, hoping to wash out all of the bad things that had stuck with her.

They checked in at the front desk, Luna forking over a small amount of Muggle money she had somehow come into the possession of. They were given a second floor room with a queen bed and a view of the ocean. Ginny didn’t understand why it was so cheap until they stepped into the room, which was filled with dust and stained sheets.

“Right,” Ginny said, setting down her bag on the desk, as she didn’t trust the cleanliness of the floor, “want to head to bed, then?”

“Sure,” Luna agreed.

They both got ready for bed, going about their nightly routines before settling into the hard mattress together. Luna rested her head on Ginny’s chest, their arms wrapped around each other.

“Thanks for inviting me, Luna,” Ginny murmured, tangling her fingers in Luna’s hair.

Luna snuggled in closer, and Ginny could feel that they were both sweating from the summer heat, the ocean breeze not providing nearly enough relief from the blistering night.

“I wouldn’t want anyone but you to be here with me.”

Ginny smiled into the dark, kissing the top of Luna’s head. “Goodnight, you silly goose.”


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny woke up with a mouthful of blonde hair. A hazy, golden glow slipped in through the gap in the drapes, casting streams of warm light onto Luna, who was facing Ginny. She groggily watched Luna’s blonde eyelashes flutter in her sleep and soft snores escape her slightly parted mouth. Ginny, propping herself up on her elbow, smiled to herself as she stared at her.

“Luna,” Ginny said softly, gently placing her hand on Luna’s waist, “it’s time to wake up. I think it’s about seven.”

Luna slowly blinked her grey eyes open, letting out a loud groan as she stretched. Ginny laid her head back down on the pillow.

“Do I really have to get up?” Luna asked begrudgingly.

Ginny gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m afraid you do, although, we have a pretty exciting day ahead of us.”

Suddenly, Luna sat bolt upright. “The ice cream truck.”

She sat up with her, smiling. “The ice cream truck.”

Ginny showered first, padding out from the bathroom in a cheap white towel. Her bright red hair fell limply to her shoulders, weighed down by the wetness. She sat down on the bed with a sigh.

“Shower’s free,” Ginny said to Luna, who was pulling out an outfit to wear and setting it neatly on the bed.

“Alright. I’ll be out in a minute,” Luna said, sending Ginny a smile before she disappeared into the bathroom.

As soon as Luna left, Ginny began to towel herself off. After giving her hair a slight tussle with the towel, she rifled through her bag, picking out a sports bra, underwear, a blue tank top, and jean shorts. She laid her pile of clothing next to Luna’s pile, which consisted of a bra, underwear, a yellow tie-dye sundress, and two jelly sandals ㅡ one pink and the other orange.

Ginny was dressed within minutes, and all that was left was to put on her socks and white high-top sneakers. She heard the shower turn off and Luna walked out in only a towel. Her light blonde hair hung in loose ringlets and drops of water that had yet to be dried off rolled down her body. Ginny swallowed thickly, averting her eyes as Luna took off her towel and began to dry herself off. To keep her eyes occupied, she put on her shoes.

“So,” Luna began, wiping the water off of her legs, “it should take a little under three hours to get to the ice cream parlor. Do you want to get breakfast now?”

Ginny nodded, staring at her feet. “Yeah, that sounds good. We can try to find a cafe along the way.”

“Perfect.”

As soon as Luna was done getting dressed, Ginny finally allowed herself to look up. As she watched Luna slip on her and orange jelly sandals, she couldn’t help but feel a warmth spreading throughout her body.

They did a last comb through of the room, making sure they hadn’t forgotten to pack up anything before heading out. After checking out and returning their room key, they wandered into the blistering summer morning. The sun had reached a high position in the cloudless sky, and Ginny could feel the humidity sinking into her skin. The warm ocean breeze carried with it the smell of salt that was coming off of the surf in the distance.

They clambered into the ice cream truck and Luna arranged herself behind the wheel. Ginny, armed with the map, buckled herself in. The radio came on, playing a song called “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Luna guided the truck down a street that led to the heart of Burton Bradstock. The paths were crowded, filled with young Muggle families who wanted to get a jump start on their day at the beach.

They located a small cafe and Luna pulled into a parking space. As they wandered inside, the smell of freshly baked bread hit Ginny. The two of them patiently waited in line behind a stuffy, middle-aged man in a suit, and Ginny squinted at the large blackboard behind the counter, which seemed to be the menu. There was a complex list of things that she had never heard of under the coffee section and the tea menu was seemingly the same.

“Do you know what any of these things mean?” Ginny whispered in Luna’s ear.

“Oh! Yes, my mum told me a bit about them when I was little,” Luna replied, fidgeting with her hands.

Ginny grabbed them, holding them still.

“I think I’m just going to get a cup of tea and a scone,” Ginny concluded.

“Ah, lovely choice. I think I’ll get hot chocolate and a muffin,” Luna said, smiling softly at her.

After procuring their food and drinks, they found a table shoved against the wide front window. They sat across from each other and their shoes touched underneath the table. It was a comfort to feel at least a little bit of Luna. It helped Ginny feel real.

“So,” Luna said, tearing a piece off of her chocolate muffin. “How are you doing? How are you feeling after the break up? I know it’s been a few weeks now.”

Ginny took a long sip of her tea, leaning back in her chair. “I miss Harry, but as a friend more than anything. I don’t think we were ever meant to be together romantically. I don’t know ㅡ it always seemed a bit forced. I think I’m getting to the point where I’m just starting to feel all of the relief that came with the break up.”

Luna nodded. “That makes sense. I always got the feeling that you two fit together better as friends, but I hoped I was wrong.”

“What about you and Neville? That didn’t really end up going anywhere, did it?” Ginny asked, a wave of protectiveness coursing through her.

“No. I think it was a spur of the moment thing, to be honest. We’ve talked about it through a few letters and we both agreed that neither of us meant what we said to each other. We were in the middle of a battle and we were facing death. We both just needed someone to love in that instant,” Luna explained.

“I understand. I think I experienced the same thing with Harry during the battle. It’s pretty funny to think that Ron and Hermione were the only ones to come out of the war together,” Ginny said, letting out a light laugh.

“Don’t forget Dean and Seamus!”

“Merlin, I nearly forgot.”

They finished breakfast and then headed on their way. The journey to London wasn’t as bad as Ginny thought it was going to be. The time passed surprisingly quickly, although she had a feeling that it mostly had to do with Luna singing along to songs that Ginny had never heard of. As she watched Luna dance, tapping her fingers in a rhythm on the steering wheel, she couldn’t help but smile.

Luna parked the truck outside of the Leaky Cauldron. The walk to Diagon Alley was shrouded in cool shade, which Ginny was thankful for. They reached Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor at around eleven and the blast of cool air coming from inside the shop was soothing.

A young woman with curly brown hair stood behind the counter. A bell went off as Ginny and Luna entered the shop and the woman looked up.

“You must be Luna and Ginny! My name is Emily and I’m Florean’s daughter. I understand you want to sell our ice cream on the road?” Emily asked, coming out from behind the counter to shake their hands.

“That’s right. A large amount of our profit would obviously go to you,” Ginny said.

“Thank you. That would be extremely helpful. As you can imagine, we haven’t been particularly busy since the war ended,” Emily said, a sad smile crossing her face.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, by the way,” Luna said.

“Thank you so much. I’m just glad I’m able to keep the shop running for Dad. That’s what he would’ve wanted. Speaking of, let me show you the flavors,” Emily said, returning behind the counter.

She took two sampling spoons and loaded them with what appeared to be a chocolate flavor. “Here’s one of our most popular flavors, chocolate frogs. Are you two planning on selling only to magic folk, or are you also going to be selling to Muggles?”

Ginny looked at Luna, who shrugged. “Both, I think.”

“Alright. What I can do is give you simpler flavors that don’t include sweets from Honeydukes to sell to the Muggles, like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. You can sell the other flavors to everyone else,” Emily said.

“Merlin, this is fantastic,” Luna said, licking the last bit of ice cream off of her spoon. “And that sounds good to me.”

“Me too,” Ginny chimed in, savoring the ice cream that was melting on her tongue.

“Perfect. Why don’t I help you get a few tubs into your truck? Before you go, I’ll charm them to automatically refill when they run out,” Emily said, levitating a large tub of vanilla.

Ginny and Luna did the same with a few other flavors and they led Emily out to the truck. It took several trips to get all of the flavors loaded up and by the time they finished, Ginny’s arm was stiff from all of the levitating.

“Thank you so much, Emily. We really appreciate it,” Ginny said.

Emily pulled both her and Luna into a tight hug. “My pleasure. I wish you both the best of luck.”

After saying goodbye to Emily, the two of them climbed back into the truck. A cooling charm had been placed on the tubs of ice cream, as well as the soft serve machine that they had loaded, keeping them perfectly frozen.

“Where to next?” Luna asked.

“Well, we’re not going to start selling until tomorrow, right?” Ginny asked.

“Right.”

“What would you say to spending the rest of the day at a beach?” Ginny asked hopefully.

Luna glanced at her, grinning. “I’d love that.”

Ginny smiled back. “We could go to Clacton-on-Sea. It’s a little under two hours from London.”

“Sounds good to me!”

They reached Clacton-on-Sea, a town in Essex, in the early afternoon, the white sun burning high in the sky. A flock of seagulls cried overhead as they parked in the beach car park, which was filled to the brim with other cars. They took turns changing into their swimsuits in the back of the truck, which was large and spacious. As Ginny, wearing a green bikini, waited for Luna, she emerged in a bright blue one-piece. She had tied her hair back into a knot on her head and wisps of baby hairs fell around her rosy face.

After applying sun cream, they trekked out into the sand and began to walk along the crowded surf, the cool ocean water lapping at their toes. Luna pushed Ginny into the water in a fit of giggles. Ginny gasped at the cold water, retaliating by splashing Luna. A water fight ensued, both of them becoming incredibly drenched as they played.

After admitting a truce, they sat down at the edge of the surf. Luna began to build a sloppy sandcastle and Ginny watched her hands work with interest.

Despite layering themselves in sun cream, Ginny could see that Luna’s cheeks were turning a soft pink, and she could feel her own shoulders beginning to burn under the blazing sun. A soft breeze rolled over them.

“How are you actually feeling about 7th year?” Luna asked, adding a roof of seaweed to her castle.

Ginny let out a long sigh. “Merlin, I don’t know. I don’t like to think about it, to be honest. Nothing’s going to be the same.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Luna said, nodding her head. “I think I feel the same way. I don’t particularly like change and it’s terrifying to know that everything will have done exactly that.”

“I agree. Change is awful,” Ginny said, throwing a handful of wet sand into the surf.

“Well, at least we’ll have each other. That’s more than we can say about last year,” Luna said, offering her a sad smile.

The sudden memory of Luna disappearing crossed Ginny’s mind. The long, drawn-out absence of Luna had left a deep, aching fear in her heart. She could still feel it. Those horrible months were agony, not knowing if she was okay or not. Word had spread of her being held captive in the Malfoy Manor, along with her father. Ginny had wanted to do something, anything, to help them, and yet she'd known she couldn’t leave the castle. However, that hadn’t stopped her from brainstorming ideas on how to save them. It’s what had kept her going.

Ginny swallowed thickly, her thoughts returning to the present. “Promise you’ll never disappear again?”

Luna grabbed her hand, putting it up to her own chest. “I promise, with every beat of my heart, that I will never disappear again.”

“I love you an awful lot, you know,” Ginny said softly, her voice getting caught in the breeze.

Luna grinned. “I love you too.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in the surf, occasionally taking the time to reapply sun cream. At six o’clock, they came to the conclusion that they were both starving and promptly headed back to the ice cream truck. There, they toweled themselves off before taking turns changing back into their clothes in the back of the truck. Once settled, Luna popped on her spectrespecs before pulling out of the car park and onto the road that sat next to the coast.

“Let me know if you see a place that looks good for dinner,” Luna instructed.

Ginny nodded. “Will do.”

Luna turned on the radio and Ginny cranked her window down, taking a deep inhale of the salty air.

They drove into town, passing along the main road. Small shops and family-run bakeries lined the street. Ginny watched the Muggles passing by, thinking of her dad.

At long last, she spotted a decent looking restaurant near the edge of town, pulling into the car park. The sun was beginning to start its slow journey into the west, a vibrant gold settling over the earth.

“Ready?” Luna asked, parking the truck.

“Ready,” Ginny nodded.

They both climbed out of the car, making sure to lock it before they strolled into the restaurant. The strong smell of seafood and freshly baked bread hit Ginny, her stomach twisting with hunger. The host walked over to them, a large smile plastered across his face.

“Table for two?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” Luna beamed. “Do you happen to have a table with a view of the water, by any chance?”

The host nodded. “I have one left. Follow me, please.”

They were led to a table for two that was pushed up against the glass wall. Deep blue water lapped against the pier that the restaurant sat upon. It was perfect.

After a young waitress, about their age, took their orders, Ginny lifted up her water glass.

“Here’s to a brand new adventure and leaving the bad things behind,” she said, grinning.

Luna raised her glass, clinking it against Ginny’s. They smiled at each other before taking a sip of their waters.

“So,” Ginny began, scooting closer to the table, “are you going to go to the Quidditch games this year?”

“Considering you’re the captain, I should think so,” Luna beamed, and Ginny could feel heat rising to her cheeks. She had gotten a letter from McGonagall shortly after the battle asking her if she would take up the role as captain, as they hadn’t been able to organize such a thing during her 6th year.

“I always love it when you come to the games, you know. You’re my good luck charm,” Ginny said softly.

Luna grabbed Ginny’s hand from across the table. “I wouldn’t miss them for the world. It’s my job to cheer you on!”

Ginny let out a gentle laugh. “Yes it is, you silly goose.”

“Hey, Gin?” Luna asked, her voice suddenly more solemn.

“Yeah?”

“Are things going to get better?”

Ginny looked at Luna, whose eyes were on the verge of spilling over with tears, and said with a fierce determination, “yes, things are going to get better. I promise.”

Luna nodded stiffly. “I’m terrified of being stuck like this forever.”

“Stuck like what?” Ginny asked, squeezing her hand.

“Stuck in a different time. My mind is here but my body is in a different place. A different time. I can still feel the fear in me. Sometimes at night, I’ll just lie there, waiting for someone to come down the steps of the cellar at the Manor,” Luna explained, her voice breaking.

“Oh, Luna. You won’t have to go through anything like that again. I promise I’ll protect you this time,” Ginny whispered.

“Thank you, Gin. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Well, luckily you won’t ever have to find out.”

The rest of the evening passed by in a blur of laughter and a setting sun. After dinner, they pulled into a dingy motel by the seaside, the twilight air smelling soft and sweet. They were checked in by an old man whose voice went barely above a hoarse whisper. As soon as they were handed their key, they bolted to their room. When they walked into their second story room, they both gasped. The room was surprisingly tidy and it had a balcony looking directly out over the ocean. The room hadn’t been too expensive, giving them both a surprise.

“Merlin, Ginny. Look at the water!” Luna said, absently dropping her school trunk as she wandered towards the balcony.

Ginny did the same, setting her bag on the bed before following Luna. She pushed the sliding glass door open and found two chairs facing the water. Luna promptly sat down in one and Ginny pulled the other chair closer to her. The lilac sky was beginning to seep into the ocean, the harsh horizon line fading into nothing but a blur.

“This would be a lovely place to disappear, don’t you think?” Luna wondered aloud, her eyes fixated on the rolling waves of the ocean.

“Disappear in what way?” Ginny asked, turning to look at her.

A sad smile appeared on Luna’s face as she looked down at her hands. “To just melt into nothing ㅡ become the world itself, I suppose. I’m finding that it’s terribly hard to be human.”

Ginny sighed, reaching out to hold Luna’s trembling hand. “I get that feeling too. Sometimes I want nothing more than to be somewhere else, living a different life. I have to keep reminding myself that if I was living a different life, I wouldn’t have met you.”

“I think we would have met in every life,” Luna said.

“Even in past lives?” Ginny asked. Luna nodded. “Especially in past lives. Souls like ours ㅡ they’re tied together.”

Ginny smiled softly. “I think I like that idea.”


	3. Chapter 3

When Ginny woke, she was alone. Disorientated, she squinted around the room as golden beams of light streamed through the heavy drapes. The light in the bathroom wasn’t on and Luna wasn’t sitting in any of the chairs near the fireplace in the corner of the room. Ginny groggily slid out of bed, wandering towards the door that led to the balcony. Pushing the curtains aside, she saw Luna leaning over the balcony, looking out over the water.

The bottom of Luna’s pajama tank top had risen up, exposing the small of her back. Ginny stared, watching the way ropes of scars stretched across her exposed skin. They were certainly new. Ginny would have noticed them, if they’d been there before.

She opened the door, stepping out onto the balcony. Luna turned around, greeting her with a smile.

“Good morning,” Ginny said, coming up behind Luna and wrapping her arms around her.

“Good morning. How’d you sleep?” Luna asked, not taking her eyes away from the ocean.

“Pretty well. Have you been up long?” Ginny asked, resting her chin on Luna’s shoulder.

“Two hours, maybe?” Luna guessed.

Ginny sighed. “Did something wake you up?”

Luna nodded. “Nightmares, but I’d rather talk about something else.”

“Okay,” Ginny said. “What’s the plan for today, then?”

Luna hummed in thought. “We should get breakfast and then we can start heading out. What do you think about spending our first day of selling ice cream in Southwold?”

“That sounds perfect,” Ginny agreed.

“Well, want to get ready, then?” Luna asked, turning around with a grin on her face.

“Absolutely,” Ginny beamed.

Once back in the room, Ginny pulled out a pair of overalls and a red muscle tank top. She cautiously averted eye contact, waiting until Luna changed into her jean shorts and collared rainbow t-shirt to begin pulling on her own clothing. Within minutes, both of them were dressed and ready to go. After packing their bags, they headed to the lobby and checked out.

The morning was bright and clear, and a cool, salty breeze blew in from the ocean as they climbed into the ice cream truck.

“Right. Ready?” Luna asked, grinning brightly.

“Yep.”

Luna pulled out of the car park and merged onto the main road. Ginny watched the ocean, which was sitting to her left, lap at the golden shore. It was so different from home, a place she wasn’t missing one bit.

They managed to arrive in Southwold within an hour, and Luna navigated the truck into the car park opposite the beach. To the left of them was a pier filled with food stalls. It smelled like summer.

Once Luna parked the truck, Ginny climbed into the back and opened up the window that they would be selling the ice cream through. The day was hot and she was thankful that the pink and white striped overhang would be providing some semblance of shade for them.

Luna joined her. “Can you braid my hair? I want it out of my eyes.”

Ginny nodded, taking the scrunchie that Luna handed her. “Yeah, of course. French braid?”

“French braid works,” Luna said.

Ginny began to comb her fingers through Luna’s long, wavy hair, pulling it back in the process. As she wove the three strands together, she couldn’t help but feel close to Luna. Although Ginny had braided Luna’s hair a countless number of times, she always found herself surprised by how intimate it was.

Ginny tied the scrunchie at the bottom of the braid. “Alright. I’m done.”

Luna reached back, feeling the braid. “It feels great. Thank you, Gin.” “No problem. Oh, and here are your Spectrespecs,” Ginny said, handing the pink glasses to Luna. “I wouldn’t want you to lose them.”

Luna smiled softly at her, putting the spectrespecs on top of her head. “How thoughtful. At least I’ll be able to see any Wrackspurts going through your ears.”

Ginny snorted. “True. Now, how are we going to go about selling the ice cream?”

Luna hummed in thought. “I’ve got an idea.”

Before Ginny could ask what exactly that idea was, Luna hopped out of the truck. Ginny watched, speechless, as Luna cupped her hands around her mouth.

“Ice cream! We’re selling ice cream! Lots of flavors, lots of ways! Get your ice cream!” she yelled.

Several people got up from their beach towels and began to wander over. Luna gave Ginny a thumbs up before climbing back into the truck. They both leaned on the windowsill, waiting for the customers.

The first people to show up were a family of four - two moms, a son, and a daughter. Whenever Ginny saw same-sex couples, her heart felt lighter. She supposed it had to do with the fact that Charlie often brought different boyfriends home.

“Hi. What kind of ice cream do you have?” one of the moms asked, pushing up her sunglasses.

“We have chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, cookies and cream, raspberry, and lemon,” Ginny answered.

“Great. We’ll have two chocolate ice creams, one vanilla, and one raspberry,” the other mom said, tussling her son’s hair.

“Excellent choices! Cup or cone?” Luna asked as Ginny began to wander towards the tubs of ice cream.

“Cones, please!”

While Luna began to scoop the vanilla and raspberry cones, Ginny worked on the two chocolate ones. She looked at Luna, who was busy trying to make the enormous raspberry scoop look perfectly round. As she concentrated, she poked her tongue slightly out of her mouth. Ginny, turning back to her own ice cream, smiled to herself.

Once done, they brought the cones back to the window and handed them to the family. While one of the moms paid, the son took a large bite of his vanilla ice cream.

“Mummies! This is the best ice cream I’ve ever had!” the little boy shouted, ice cream dripping down his chin.

Ginny grinned at him. “Thank you! You're our very first customers, you know.” T

he little boy squealed. “Really?”

Luna nodded. “Really!”

One of the moms took a lick of chocolate. “God, that _is_ good. Well, congrats, ladies! We wish you luck!”

With that, they waved the family off. Then, Luna very suddenly wrapped Ginny in a tight hug, which she immediately returned.

“We did it, Ginny! We sold our first ice cream!” Luna said, picking Ginny up and spinning her around.

Ginny let out a loud laugh. “We did it!”

Once Ginny was back on the ground, she realized just how close she was to Luna. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. Ginny sucked in a breath, staring at Luna’s lips as time seemed to come to a halt.

“Uh, hello?”

Ginny jumped back, startled. Two tween girls stood at the window, looking rather impatient. Ginny cleared her throat, scooting slightly away from Luna.

“Hi. How can we help you?” she asked, her cheeks burning red.

“We’d both like two cookies and cream milkshakes,” one of the girls said, hands on her hips.

“Two milkshakes. Coming right up,” Ginny sighed, wandering back towards the cookies and cream tub.

Luna followed her.

“Hey, you okay? You seem a bit off,” Luna said, frowning as she worked on one of the milkshakes.

Ginny swallowed thickly. “Yeah. I’m just warm.”

“Let’s take a water break after these two, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The rest of the morning passed quickly, bleeding slowly into the bright afternoon and then the pale early evening. They ended up having plenty of customers, although Ginny found that she couldn’t concentrate on the work. Instead, she kept mulling over what had happened between herself and Luna.

By the time they began to pack up for the day, Ginny felt flustered and exhausted. As soon as they’d cleaned the last scooper, she resumed leaning against the windowsill, looking out onto the beach. The outskirts of the sky were just beginning to turn a soft lilac and a cool breeze had picked up.

Suddenly, Ginny could feel the warmth of Luna’s hand on the small of her back. She jumped, slightly startled at the unexpected touch.

“What are you thinking about, Gin?” Luna asked softly.

Ginny shrugged, trying to stifle whatever it was she was feeling. “I don’t know, to be honest.”

“Well, what did you think of selling ice cream? Was it fun?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, it was,” Ginny said. Luna smiled “Good. I thought it was fun, too. Where do you want to head tomorrow?”

“Oh, I’m not sure. Would Skegness be fun? ” Ginny suggested.

“That sounds perfect. I know there’s a little wizarding community there that we could sell ice cream to, and I’m pretty sure they have a pier with rides near the beach. Would you like that?” Luna asked.

Ginny nodded. “Yeah, I’d love that.”

Luna wrapped her arms gently around Ginny’s waist from behind. “Want to get out of here? We can find a hotel along the way.”

“Sounds good.”

They wordlessly climbed back into their seats, and Luna slowly steered the truck out of the car park and onto the road. After cranking down the window, Ginny rested her head on the door. Cool twilight air blew through her hair and she closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she let the salty air soak into her lungs as they made their way down the road. As much as she tried, Ginny couldn’t shake the feeling that something odd had occurred between herself and Luna.

Two and a half hours later, they arrived in the seaside town of Skegness. Ginny pointed out a quaint hotel that she could see right off the motorway and Luna promptly headed in that direction. Pulling into the car park, they both decided that it would do for the night.

They checked in and then headed to their room, which was located on the 6th floor. Although nothing could compare to the hotel from the previous night, this room was still relatively nice, especially considering the small amount of money they had.

Ginny sat her bag down on a chair that was squeezed into the corner of the room next to the television, and Luna set her trunk near the dresser.

“Alright. What do you want to do?” Luna asked, plopping down onto the queen bed.

Ginny sighed. “Not sure, although I definitely need to shower at some point.”

“Okie dokes. Why don’t you go take a bath instead, while I see if this place has room service. You look like you could use a good soak,” Luna suggested.

“Yeah. That sounds nice, actually,” Ginny said, opening up her bag and pulling out a fresh pair of cotton pajama shorts and a tank top.

She gave Luna a small wave before wandering into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The bathroom was neat and tidy, and a medium sized tub sat against the wall. Ginny put her clothes down on the top of the toilet lid and then began to warm the water.

As the tub filled, she stripped. When she got down to just her sports bra and underwear, she took a long look at herself in the wide mirror. Although Ginny hated to admit it, she wasn’t particularly fond of how she looked. While she was aware that she was toned and her muscles were defined from years of Quidditch, she also knew that an abundance of freckles and bright red hair weren’t exactly desirable things ㅡ not in her eyes, at least. She also wasn’t particularly fond of the fact that her chest was on the smaller side, as were her hips and bum. This, compared to someone like Luna, seemed blatantly less attractive. In many ways, she wished she could look like Luna. Where she was muscle and bones, Luna was soft and round. She had wide hips, full thighs and breasts, and curves.

After one last disappointing look in the mirror, Ginny took off her bra and underwear before slipping into the hot bath water. Steam curled off of the surface and the warmth seeped into her skin. Leaning her head back against the lip of the tub, she closed her eyes. From the other room, she could make out the sounds of an increasingly frustrated Luna attempting to get the Muggle telephone to work.

“You having trouble in there?” Ginny shouted.

There was a brief pause and then Luna shouted back, “no! Why would you think that?”

“Well, there’s a lot of grunting going on.”

“Maybe I’m just grunting for the hell of it!”

“Luna, I highly doubt you’re grunting for the hell of it.”

“I … may or may not be having some difficulty.”

Ginny shook her head in amusement, a wide smile spreading across her face. “Do you need help?”

“Nope!” Luna replied.

Laughing to herself, Ginny closed her eyes again.


	4. Chapter 4

“We’re going to sell even more ice cream today. I can feel it!” Luna said, a wide smile on her face as she directed the ice cream truck onto the narrow road that lined the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea.

The morning was balmy, although there was an occasional gust of cool wind. Ginny looked out at the deep blue ocean that sat beneath the expansive sky.

She turned to Luna, grinning. “Yeah, me too. By the way, where exactly is this Muggle community you’ve been talking about?”

“Oh, there’s a hidden beach along here somewhere. My dad told me about it. It’s apparently marked with a bed of begonias. It’s a wizards only beach, so we’ll be able to sell the ice cream with Honeydukes sweets,” Luna said.

“Perfect. Do you want to go to the pier with the rides, tonight, after selling ice cream?” Ginny asked. Luna nodded.

“Absolutely.”

After a few minutes of bopping along to Muggle music, Luna came to a sudden halt. To the left of them, in the middle of the sandy shore, sat a large bed of bright pink begonias. It was situated directly in between two very crowded beaches, acting almost as a dividing line. Looking further down the stretch of beach, Ginny could make out the pier that Luna had mentioned.

“We’re here!” Luna squealed, driving through the carpark and onto the shore itself.

After noticing that the surrounding Muggles weren’t aware that the ice cream truck was barrelling onto the sand, she realized that the truck had gone invisible.

“How did we turn invisible? Did you do that?” Ginny asked.

“No, it must be because we're nearing the begonias,” Luna shrugged. “Makes sense that they would take protective measures.”

Before Ginny could respond, Luna was driving over the bed of begonias. Suddenly, a large beach full of entirely different people appeared around them. Ginny could immediately tell that they were wizards: wands were out, pointy black sun hats were being worn, and several children were snacking on sugar quills.

“Alright. Ready?” Luna asked, grinning.

Ginny nodded. “Absolutely.”

Leaving the truck exactly where it was, they both unbuckled their seatbelts and climbed into the back. Ginny pulled down her jean shorts, which had risen up slightly during the car ride. Next to her, Luna was adjusting her bra strap, which was poking out behind a lavender blouse with puffy sleeves and a bow at the neck.

Ginny pushed open the window while Luna drew her wand, popping open the pink and white overhang. The beach patrons were beginning to take notice of the ice cream truck, several heads looking their way.

Ginny leaned out of the window, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Florean Fortescue ice cream for sale!”

After shouting a few times, a few groups of people began to wander over, lining up. Ginny looked at Luna, who shot her a wide smile before turning to help their first customers.

By the time early afternoon had hit, they had run out of the chocolate frog flavor twice. Thankfully, the tub magically refilled itself. The acid pop ice cream seemed to be a popular flavor among children, and plenty of adults ordered sherbert lemon sundaes.

Besides taking a break to eat a cone of ice cream for lunch, Ginny and Luna didn’t stop working until the sun had begun to set. As they finally closed the window and pulled down the overhang, Luna let out a contented sigh.

“Did you have a good day?” Ginny asked, sorting through the money that they had acquired.

Luna beamed, pulling Ginny into a hug. “Oh, I had a lovely day. And it’s about to get even better!”

After settling into their seats, Luna backed out of the sand. As soon as they left the shore, the wizard’s beach disappeared. Coasting down the narrow road once again, Ginny looked at the pier that they were heading towards. In the middle of it sat a large pastel ferris wheel. She could make out the silhouettes of other rides.

They reached the pier in only a few minutes. After parking and buying their tickets, they entered the roped off section full of rides. Ginny’s eyes widened, having never seen Muggle rides in person before. They looked even grander up close, all of them lit up with bright colors. Upbeat music filled the air and she could smell something sugary and sweet nearby.

“Where do you want to go first?” Ginny asked, taking in the colors around her.

Luna grabbed her hand, pulling her in the direction of the giant swings. “I’ve wanted to go on one of these since learning about fairs in Muggle studies!”

Ginny let out a loud laugh, following Luna. After showing their tickets to a teenage boy at the gate, he let them inside. Luna immediately ran to a swing and Ginny grabbed the one behind her. As she buckled in, she could feel a flutter of nerves in her stomach.

Just as the swings began to rise into the air, Ginny yelled, “I’m a bit nervous, Luna!”

Luna looked back at her and winked. “Don’t be. I’m here.”

The swings started to go around in a wide circle and Ginny felt the twilight wind roll over her skin and through her hair. She couldn’t help but grin, letting out a bark of laughter as she put her hands in the air. The sensation of the swings was somewhat akin to riding a broom, although it was also largely different. In front of her, Luna let out a giggle.

“Having fun?” Luna yelled back.

“This is amazing!” Ginny replied.

When the ride finished, Ginny found that she was winded from adrenaline and excitement. She met Luna outside the gate and both of them broke into a fit of laughter.

They rode several rides before lining up for the ferris wheel, their last ride of the night. The line wasn’t too long, however, and they quickly made their way into a passenger car. The ferris wheel slowly began to move, lifting them higher into the air. Once they reached the top, the ride paused.

Looking out over the pier, Ginny watched the dusky purple sky dissolve into the ocean. A sliver of the moon appeared and several bright silver stars surrounded it. She closed her eyes. The world was still and everything was perfect.

“Merlin, this is incredible,” Luna whispered, and Ginny opened her eyes to look at her.

What she found was a sight she hadn’t expected.

Luna looked beautiful, her light blonde hair glowing against the darkness of the sky. Her grey eyes were bright with joy and there was a crimson tinge to her cheeks. Warmth radiated from her, as though summer itself was flowing through her veins. Suddenly, everything made sense.

 _Oh_ , Ginny thought to herself. _Oh_.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny stared at the pale patches of moonlight dancing across the ceiling. Next to her, Luna was fast asleep. She was overtly aware that her bare legs were touching Luna’s under the covers, something not unusual in their history of bed sharing. However, tonight it meant something different. 

She thought back to the ferris wheel, the place where everything had changed in the blink of an eye. One minute she had been sitting next to her best friend and the next, she was sitting next to someone she had been in love with for years. 

The more Ginny thought about it, the more she supposed it made sense. She had always been drawn to Luna in ways that she hadn’t been drawn to Harry or Dean. Kissing both of them had been fine, nothing spectacular. However, the mere idea of pressing her lips to Luna’s sent a shiver down her spine. It was this indescribable thing that made her feel sick to her stomach and dizzy with excitement at the same time. Luna was her light, there was no denying it.

Although the thought of loving Luna was terrifying, the more daunting matter at hand was whether or not she loved Ginny back. The idea of Luna rejecting her was nearly too much to bear, nevermind it actually happening. Luna was everything to her and she didn’t know if she’d be able to survive losing her world.

“Fuck,” Ginny muttered, rubbing her eyes.   
Next to her, Luna groaned and rolled onto her back. Ginny froze, only moving again when she was confident that Luna was completely asleep.

With a deep sigh, Ginny turned onto her side, letting herself look at Luna. Her hair and eyelashes looked silver from the moonlight coming in through the hotel window, and Ginny could make out the pattern of light freckles covering the bridge of her slightly sunburned nose. Her lips were parted, letting an occasional snore escape. 

Ginny let her eyes gradually move downwards. She watched Luna’s chest expand and deflate in a slow rhythm, her breasts rising with each breath. Swallowing hard, she realized that she was able to see the outline of Luna’s nipples through the thin fabric of her tank top and forced herself to look away.

An hour passed before Ginny admitted that she wouldn’t be falling asleep any time soon. Quietly slipping out of bed, she wandered to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, she blindly flicked on the light. As she sat on the toilet, relieving her bladder, she let her head fall into her hands. Hot tears stung her eyes and her throat began to tighten. As quietly as she could, she let out a broken sob. She was in love with her best friend and there was nothing she could do about it.


	6. Chapter 6

The following morning got off to a slow start. As Ginny pulled on a pair of cuffed jeans and a chiffon collared shirt, Luna was busy pulling her hair half up. Small ringlets of baby hair curled around her face. Ginny found herself staring and quickly corrected herself, her cheeks burning as she looked away.

“How does Manchester sound?” Luna asked, tucking her tank top into her long taffeta skirt.

“Sounds good. Why Manchester, though?” Ginny asked, making sure she had packed everything into her bag.

“They’ve got a Muggle museum that I’d love to go to. Plus, we have yet to sell ice cream in a big city!” Luna said, grinning.

Ginny smiled back. “True. Are we selling to Muggles today, or is there a magic community in Manchester?”

“I know there’s a magic community there but I’m not sure where it’s located. How about we sell to Muggles today and then sell to wizards tomorrow?” Luna asked.

Ginny nodded. “Yep. Want to grab breakfast in town?”

“That sounds perfect.”

After checking out of the hotel, they hopped into the ice cream truck and pulled out of the car park. As they made their way into the center of Skegness, it dawned on Ginny that she could ask Luna about all of her knowledge of the Muggle world.

“Luna, why do you know so much about Muggles? And why do you have Muggle money?” she asked.

Luna let out a soft laugh. “Even though Mum came from a Pureblood family, she made sure to tell me all about Muggles. Before she died, she left me a reasonable sum of Muggle money along with a note telling me to explore the Muggle world. I figured this was the perfect time to carry out her wish. I think she’d be rather pleased.”

A warm feeling spread throughout Ginny’s chest as she thought of Luna’s mum teaching her about the Muggle world. She could relate, considering just how infatuated her dad was with Muggles and their bizarre technologies.

“I think she would be too.”

They had a relatively easy time locating a small cafe. As they walked in, the smell of strongly brewed coffee hit Ginny. While they waited in the line, she tried to make sense of all the complicated coffee and tea names.

When it came to order, Ginny asked for a bowl of porridge with brown sugar and a cup of tea. Luna ordered a fry-up and something called a latte.

After procuring their breakfasts, they found a table near the front window of the cafe. While Ginny poked at her porridge, Luna tucked in.

“So,” Ginny began, “what kind of museum is it?”

“It’s an anthropology, archeology, and natural history museum! Isn’t that exciting?” Luna asked, beaming.

“Very,” Ginny said, grinning.

“So, are you taking a break from dating? Or are you hoping to get back into it?” Luna asked.

Ginny, midway through swallowing a spoonful of porridge, choked slightly. “Um, I don’t know. What about you?”

“I understand. I’m not sure, either. I think it depends on if I find the right person,” Luna said, shrugging.

At that, Ginny’s heart sank into her stomach.

“Yeah. Me too.”

After breakfast, they hit the road again. Luna, armed with her spectrespecs, immediately turned on the radio and began to nod along to the music. Ginny joined in, her dancing contagious.

They made it to Manchester in good time, only taking three hours. They drove straight to the Manchester Museum, which was busier than Ginny expected.

Their first stop inside the museum was the dinosaur exhibit. They stopped in front of an enormous skeleton of a T-Rex, its bones beautifully pieced together.

“Amazing to think that dinosaurs are the dragon’s ancestor, isn’t it? You can definitely see the resemblance,” Luna said, tilting her head in thought.

Ginny nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Charlie would be having an absolute fit if he was here.”

Moving through the dinosaur exhibit, Luna grabbed Ginny’s hand. Looking down at their fingers laced together, Ginny felt a tingling sensation spreading throughout her body. As they continued throughout the museum, Ginny half-expected Luna to let go of her hand. However, that never happened ㅡ their sweaty hands remained intertwined.

Standing in awed silence at every section of each exhibit, Ginny realized that the quietness between them wasn’t awkward. It was a contented lull, and she surmised that the both of them were quite happy to simply be in the presence of one another. The feeling of fitting perfectly with one another was strange, as Ginny was growing increasingly aware that she had never felt more comfortable with another human being. Just existing together was enough.

Halfway through the museum, they decided to take a brief break on a bench near the Early Humans exhibit. Luna let out a long sigh, briefly closing her eyes.

“You okay?” Ginny asked, squeezing Luna’s hand.

Luna opened her eyes, turning to Ginny with a small smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.”

A swell of comfort hit Ginny in the heart and she returned Luna’s smile. “I feel the same way.”

By the time they had gone through the entire museum, several hours had passed. Ginny’s head hurt slightly from reading all of the plaques written in fine print. As they made their way outside, she squinted at the brightness. Compared to the darkness of the museum, the sunshine that was illuminating the sky was blinding. When Ginny climbed into the truck, she took a large swig of cold water. Relief immediately washed over her head.

“Alright. Where to next?” Ginny asked.

“We could park near Market Street. That’s the main shopping area, so there’s bound to be lots of people about looking for treats to cool down,” Luna said.

“Perfect.”

Reaching Market Street in under ten minutes, Luna found a parking space in a relatively busy area. As soon as they popped up the overhang and opened the window, people began to swarm towards the truck. A family of five was first.

“Can we have two chocolate shakes, a vanilla ice cream cone, and two cookies and cream in a cup?” the dad asked as a toddler squirmed in his arms.

“Coming right up,” Ginny said, grinning at the family before she and Luna set about getting their order.

They worked as a well-oiled machine, pumping out orders in a neat and orderly fashion. The line only slowed when the occasional old person chatted to them. As the hours passed, Ginny caught herself watching Luna. She turned away, embarrassed, each time. Ever since the ferris wheel, she had found it much more difficult to be in such close proximity to her.

As the sun began to set, the edges of the orchid sky dissolving into a deep lilac, Ginny found herself wanting nothing more than to find a hotel and collapse into bed, holding Luna in her arms for the rest of the night.


	7. Chapter 7

The following day, they made their way to Southport. By the time they got there, the white hot sun was already burning high in the sky and heat waves vibrated against the asphalt. 

Luna knew about the magical community in Southport, so they were able to easily locate it. On the outskirts of town sat a few hills, and within them was a small village, somewhat akin to Hogsmeade, full of magical folk. They parked on the main road, which was bustling with people in long flowing robes and pointed hats. Ginny popped up the overhang while Luna made sure that all of the ice cream was nice and cold. 

After everything was set up, Luna yelled out of the window, “ice cream! Cold, refreshing ice cream!”

A line formed almost immediately and Ginny could tell that they were going to be in for a busy day. As she and Luna began to scoop out orders, her mind drifted and she remembered seeing Luna for the first time. It had been her very first day at Hogwarts and Hagrid had been herding all of the 1st years into the boats. The looming castle’s lights had reflected off of the dark surface of the lake and Ginny had felt immensely overwhelmed. As she'd climbed into a boat with a group of girls that she hadn’t known, she'd caught sight of soft blonde hair.

Luna had been in the next boat over, sitting separately from her boatmates. She'd looked lonely and yet, there had been a sense of determination on her round, chubby face. All throughout the boat ride to the opposite shore, Ginny couldn’t take her eyes off of Luna. Her hair had been messily tucked into a bun, secured by her wand, and there had been a look of amazement in her eyes as the castle had grown closer. Now, looking at Luna, she had the same sort of joy in her spirit as she went about serving their customers. 

The scorching afternoon passed by in a blur. At four o’clock, after having several incredibly successful hours of serving ice cream, they decided to pack up shop. As they sorted the money and secured the ice cream away, Ginny held onto the memory of eleven-year-old Luna in the boat. 

“So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?” Luna asked, putting on the last ice cream tub’s lid. 

Ginny sighed, brushing stray strands of hair out of her eyes. “Want to walk around? We can windowshop and find a place to eat.”

At her suggestion, Luna grinned. “That sounds perfect.”

After locking up the truck, Ginny and Luna began wandering around the magical village. They took some time admiring a display in the front of a hat shop, picking out which abysmal fascinators they would wear on their next grand adventure. While Luna went for the fascinator that was large, shaped like a butterfly, and had orange netting, Ginny’s was donned with sleek peacock feathers and black sequins. 

They stopped off at an antique shop near the end of the main road. As they walked through the door, Ginny was immediately hit with an overwhelming wave of dust. She coughed into her elbow, looking around at the dimly lit shop. Rows upon rows of medieval wizarding books were stacked on shelves, and there were several piles of second-hand robes hanging from racks that were shoved into the far right corner of the shop. 

“Oh, look at this, Ginny! Isn’t it wonderful?” Luna said, gasping as she took in all of the shelves and racks filled with hidden treasures.

“It’s amazing,” Ginny said, grinning at the look on Luna’s face.

“Come on, let’s take a look around,” Luna said, grabbing Ginny’s hand and pulling her enthusiastically down an aisle filled with coin purses, miniature statues, and a few stray pairs of worn boots. 

It wasn’t until they reached the left-hand corner of the shop that Ginny paused, her eyes catching on a type of object she hadn’t seen since she was a small child. She walked towards it and Luna followed.

Sitting on the shelf was a Muggle snow globe. Inside the glass sphere sat a figurine of a cherry blossom tree in full bloom. Ginny gingerly picked the snow globe up, giving it a gentle shake. Small pink petals swirled around the tree and she watched as they floated softly to the ground. 

“Merlin, what is that?” Luna asked, curiosity dripping from her voice.

“A snow globe, something that many Muggles collect. I only know about them from my dad. He brought one home from work when I was about seven. I remember looking at it every day. That is, until George broke it,” Ginny said.

“Can I buy it for you?” Luna asked, a lopsided grin spreading across her face.

“Oh, Luna, you don’t have to buy it for me,” Ginny said, going to put the snow globe back on the shelf.

Luna reached out, grabbing her arm. “Ginny, it’s okay. Let me buy it for you.”

Ginny, seeing the pleading look in her eyes, relented. “Okay, you can buy it for me. Thank you so much.”

Luna stood on her tiptoes, pressing a light kiss to Ginny’s cheek. “My pleasure.”

As they walked to the counter in the back of the shop, Ginny could feel her cheeks growing crimson in color.

An old wizard stood behind the counter, his pointed hat slouching in the middle. As soon as he caught sight of the snow globe, his face broke into a wide smile.

“Ah, a snow globe. That’s a rarity, that is! Comes from the Muggle world,” the man said hoarsely.

“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Luna asked, sliding the snow globe across the counter.

The man picked it up, giving it a brief inspection before setting it back down. “Indeed it is. That’ll be one Galleon, ten Sickles, and eight Knuts.”

After Luna paid the man, he carefully wrapped it in tissue paper before putting in it a small paper bag.

“Thank you so much,” Luna and Ginny said.

“No bother. Have a nice day,” the man said, offering them a wave.

Once they left the antique shop, they continued wandering through the streets of the village. Luna looped her arm through Ginny’s, sending a warm feeling to her fingertips. As they strolled past a variety of shops, Ginny wished that she could stop time, if only for a moment. The way in which Luna looked around the different shops, her eyes wide with excitement, made her stomach flutter, and she couldn’t help but feel as if everything was right. With the pale blue afternoon sky turning into a soft gold, the world stilled.


	8. Chapter 8

The following evening, after a full day of selling ice cream in Lytham, Ginny and Luna collapsed on the bed in their hotel room. The night was warm and the air was stuffy. Despite having cracked open their window, drops of sweat were still collecting on Ginny’s upper lip. As she rested her head on Luna’s chest, her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

“Where do you imagine yourself to be after Hogwarts?” Luna asked, absently running her fingers through Ginny’s hair.

Ginny paused as a rush of dream scenarios crossed her mind. She could vividly see the two of them, after establishing their relationship, buying a cottage together. While Luna worked as a magical zoologist, she would become a professional Quidditch player. And, a few years down the road, they would think about having children. 

“I don’t know,” Ginny said, trying to stifle her imagination as much as possible.

“You must have some sort of dream, Ginny,” Luna said softly.

“I can’t think of anything,” Ginny said, swallowing thickly. “What about you?”

Luna let out a long sigh. “Oh, I have lots of ideas. I’d love to move in with you. Our house would be quite cute, wouldn’t it? We could have lots of pets and we would have a huge garden.”

Ginny’s heart nearly stopped, and she propped herself up so she could look at Luna. “You … you want to live with me after Hogwarts?”

“Of course I do, silly. You’re my companion, afterall.”

Ginny bit her lip, her mind sprinting between fear and hope. A surge of adrenaline shot through her veins and she could feel her hands begin to shake. 

“What do you mean by companion?” Ginny asked. 

“You’re my person, Ginny. You’re everything to me,” Luna said, reaching up to cup Ginny’s cheek as they faced each other.

Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny pressed their mouths together. Luna’s lips were chapped from their week in the sun, yet they were incredibly soft. Ginny sighed, everything feeling right.

Luna pulled back abruptly, causing Ginny to crash back to reality. She felt as though all of the air was being sucked out of the room. Looking at Luna, who was a mere two inches away from her face, Ginny choked.

“Fuck. I’m so sorry, Luna. I didn’t mean to do that. Well, I did, but I didn’t. I’ve gone and completely bollocksed things up, haven’t I?” Ginny asked, tears threatening to spill over.

“Ginny, it’s okay. Look at me,” Luna said calmly, stroking Ginny’s cheek. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because,” Ginny whispered, closing her eyes, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Luna said bluntly.

Ginny opened her eyes and blinked at Luna. “No, I-I don’t think you understand. I love you as more than a friend, Luna. I love you like I was supposed to love Harry.”

Luna smiled softly at her. “Ginny, I’m in love with you and I always have been. I knew we were meant to be together the moment we met.”

“What about Neville, then?” Ginny asked, confused.

“I was never really interested in Neville. I was simply settling because I didn’t think you loved me back,” Luna said.

“Oh, Luna,” Ginny whispered before pressing their lips together once again.

Letting herself become completely enveloped in the kiss, Ginny put her hand on Luna’s waist. She could feel the warmth of Luna’s skin through her thin pajama top, sending a shiver down her spine. 

“What does this make us?” Luna asked between kisses, tangling her fingers in Ginny’s hair.

“Girlfriends?” Ginny suggested, her fingers tracing circles on Luna’s waist.

“Girlfriends. I think that’s perfect,” Luna murmured.

As the early evening faded from a soft mauve to a twilight blue, their bodies moved together as one. With nothing between them but bare skin, Ginny was able to love all of Luna, from her silver stretch marks to her wide waist and hips. By the time darkness had settled in, they were holding one another, both of them sweaty and out of breath. As the night came to a halt, Ginny couldn’t recall ever being happier.


	9. Chapter 9

Ginny squinted at the blue sky through the ice cream truck’s windshield, watching several puffy clouds drift in the wind. Next to her, Luna was humming along to a song she didn’t know. 

The summer had passed by in a blur of ice cream and kisses. As the months had gone on, Ginny had become increasingly aware that September 1st was not too far off. The idea of returning to Hogwarts was nauseating, and yet she knew that it was the memories of 6th year that were tainting it. Now, as they approached The Burrow, Ginny wanted nothing more than to be back on the road with Luna, selling ice cream and exploring different seaside towns. 

They slowly made their way through Ottery St. Catchpole, heading to the outskirts of town. Busy streets lined with neat rows of houses faded to fields of golden wheat and open sky. 

The Burrow looked largely the same as it had in June. Dust filled the muggy air as Luna drove up the dirt road that led to the crooked house and Ginny let out a sigh. As she took in the sight of The Burrow, she saw George’s silhouette pacing back and forth in his room and half-expected Fred to be there as well. 

Luna parked the ice cream truck and the dust around them began to settle. Not wanting to move, Ginny stared absently at her mother’s chickens pecking around the front garden.

“Gin?” 

She turned to see Luna looking at her, offering a small smile. Despite having dated for two months, Ginny still found herself surprised to be the recipient of Luna’s attention and affections.

“Yeah?” Ginny said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked.

Ginny nodded. “Yeah. Just a bit nervous.”

“I understand,” Luna said. “I think your family will be excited for us, though.”

At Luna’s words, Ginny let out a soft laugh. “I actually wasn’t even thinking about the fact that we’re about to tell my family we’re together. I’ve … well, I’ve been thinking about Hogwarts and the idea of going back in just a few days.”

“Oh, Ginny,” Luna said, cupping her cheek, “I know it’s scary. We’ll be together, though, and that ought to count for something. Do you remember what you told me at the restaurant in Clacton-On-Sea?”

“I promised you things would get better,” Ginny said, vividly remembering it.

“Exactly, and I’m going to promise you the same thing. It will get better, love. We’re in this together.”

Ginny took a deep breath. “Together.”

Luna leaned forward, taking her in a kiss. Her lips were soft and warm. Kissing Luna was like coming home after a long day and the comfort that came with it was incomparable. 

After a few more minutes, they climbed out of the ice cream truck and into the blazing summer heat. As they reached the wooden stairs that led up to the front door, Luna grabbed Ginny’s hand.

“Ready?” she asked.

Ginny nodded. “Ready.”

After one last look at Luna, she opened the door.


End file.
